Getting married?
Preparing for your
Wedding Day...
Naming the Date...
Before doing anything else the date and time of your wedding
must be arranged.
You can make enquiries in church after Sunday worship (at 10.30 am or 6.30
pm)
or contact Clive Jones at Attleborough Vicarage (024-76354114).
The Banns...
The Banns must be read in any Church of England Parish Church involved
(even if you have a Roman Catholic or Free Church background).
Banns cannot be read until three months before your wedding, and must be
read in each Parish Church where the parties live.
This may mean going to the other Vicar(s) involved and hearing the banns
read on at least one of three successive Sundays. They do not have to be
read out on the same day in each church.
Your wedding cannot take place unless the Vicar who is marrying you has your
Banns certificate beforehand.
There is a charge for the certificate.
The Interview...
You must have a wedding interview, one or two months before the wedding
takes place when we arrange the practical details.
Marriage Preparation Evening...
It is understood that all couples applying for marriage at
Holy Trinity
will attend a marriage preparation evening.
Rehearsal...
There will be a rehearsal (lasting thirty minutes) in the church to get
the footwork right, usually on the Thursday evening before the wedding.
The bride and the groom are essential for this, but the best man,
bridesmaids, parents and video operators are much appreciated.
Banns certificates from other churches and fees will be received at the end
of the rehearsal.
What will it cost?
At the time of writing in 2007 the standard fee is £450, but the Church
Commissioners raise the fee each year.
There is an additional charge for video-recording inside the church.
What about the flowers?
Flowers are expertly arranged in the church each week by
church members. If you wish for additional arrangements, we are happy for
you to arrange for this with your florist. Please inform Mrs Mary Brown who is in charge of
arrangements at church.
Photographs? Videos?
Photographs may be taken coming in and going out of church and during the
signing of the register. They are not permitted during the service and you
are asked to make this clear to enthusiastic relatives!
Video recording is permitted, provided operators strictly obey the
guidelines about where to stand, a copyright agreement has to be singed and
an additional fee paid.
What about the Service?
Start by exploring the meaning of Christian marriage using the service
- you will receive a copy of the service when you book - before you think about hymns etc.
The assumptions about the meaning of marriage in the service, and in the
Bible, may be quite different from the views expressed in popular music,
magazines or TV 'soaps'.
With the pressure of today's world, if your marriage is to be a strong one,
then you must let God into your plans, your hopes, and your fears too.
Only Jesus Christ, by His Spirit living in us, can give us the strength to
love and go on loving.
Hymns...
It is usual to have a hymn of praise at the beginning , a hymn of
dedication in the middle, after the sermon. Some like to have a hymn of looking forward to
the future at the end.
The exact arrangement and number of hymns is
negotiable - two or three hymns is normal. Choose hymns that your families
and friends will know. Familiar, cheerful hymns will set the tone of the
whole wedding day. We have two hymn books covering most styles of music. You
are free to borrow hymn books to help you decide.
Organ Music...
The organist will play suitable voluntaries before and after the service,
and during the signing of the register. You may need to provide your own
sheet music if we do not have it. If you wish to provide your own musicians
of any kind, full organist's fees are still payable to the church and
permission must first be sought.
Other music...
We can play CDs and Tapes through our sound system, which is
of professional quality. You can have music to replace the organ voluntaries
and during the registration.
Printed Order of Service...
These are not essential unless you choose hymns that are not in our hymn
books. Rough proofs of the order of service should be agreed with me. Make
sure that they are available in the church at least half an hour before the
service begins.
But most importantly...
We offer our best wishes for your wedding and your future happiness.
Clive Jones -
Vicar
